Wishful Dreaming
by darkelf1600
Summary: Returning to Konoha after training with Jiraiya, what will Naruto find. How is everyone after all these years? Will his feelings from the past resurface? KakaNaru eventually, lol
1. Triumphant Return

**Hello everyone. This is my first FanFic. Thank you for reading it. I'm sure I'll have more to say later, but for now I just hope you enjoy the fic. Please R&R.**

**Oh, and words in _italics_ are thoughts.**

* * *

Lying in his bed Naruto could hear the rain hitting the roof of his apartment building. He glanced towards the window and saw the curtains flutter. The pane was open slightly. The stars would be showing brightly through the glass at this time of night, but the clouds were blocking their light. 

He was thinking about the day he'd had. It had been quite uneventful. He had gotten up and ready, then went for training with Team 7. After that finished he trained by himself for a while before coming home.

But that's why he wasn't sleeping.

Had something eventful happened then he would have had it to distract him. For good or bad, anything that disrupted his normal thought patterns would have permitted him to fall into sleep earlier than this.

Thoughts of something.

Someone

They devoured him almost every night and prolonged the coming of sleep. It was rare for a night to pass without this.

But they were pleasant thoughts. Or perhaps bittersweet would be more accurate. And new ones were added nearly every day.

_We all want what we can't have_

He inhaled heavily and closed his eyes again, rolling onto his side.

It was late now, past one in the morning. He would have to get up early for training again.

_Training_

He produced a weak smile. Training was so important to him. He needed to become a ninja. Of course, there were other reasons. …proximity to the source of his restfulness…. He could look at that face every day and never get tired of it.

Thoughts of his beloved's little quirks began to flow through his mind, personal habits that Naruto found adorable.

He adjusted his head on the pillow trying to get more comfortable. He listened to the noise of the night. The steady beat of the rain and the whistle of the wind through the streets. He could hear the creaks of the old building and similar noises it made.

At some point they all seemed to run together.

He felt the bed press down as someone sat behind and then lied beside him, then a strong arm reach around him and a hand settling near his chest. He placed his own hand upon it and truly smiled.

His eyes opened. In his hand he held his own shirt.

"A Dream?_"_

He closed his eyes again and the smile faded.

By now the rain had stopped.

* * *

Naruto walked towards the bridge to meet his teammates. He wasn't late, but he was cutting it close. In his head he could already hear Sasuke ridiculing him when he showed up. 

As he neared the bridge he eyed his teammates. On any other morning he would have shouted a greeting, but today he just didn't feel up to it. He was far more tired than usual. His thoughts were heavy laden, but his dreams hardly ever got invaded.

_It was nice_

After the dream however, it took forever to get back to sleep.

He reached his team and gave them a brief nod before sitting down opposite Sakura and closing his eyes. He was on time. It didn't really matter since it would take forever for their Sensei to show up anyway.

Sasuke and Sakura just eyed him. This wasn't like Naruto. On any given day he would show up, make a loud entrance and soon be arguing with Sasuke. Today however, he just sat there.

They waited for a while. It wasn't long before Sakura sighed. "I wonder how long we'll have to wait today."

_It doesn't matter how long_, thought Naruto. _I'd wait for you forever Kakashi-sensei._

* * *

(Three Years Later) 

It was a brisk morning and Naruto was heading back to Konoha. He had been away for a long time and today he would see his hometown and many of its residents for the first time in years. He was feeling a weird mix of emotions. He was happy, excited, nervous, apprehensive and a whole other slew of feelings that were all trying to come out on top. Outwardly however, you'd never know it. He had his trademark grin on his face and the only hint of uneasiness came from his slow pace.

"Something wrong?" asked Jiraiya looking back at him with suspicion. After spending so much time together he knew Naruto pretty well.

"Hmm," Naruto looked at him, seemingly coming out of a daze. "Oh, no. It's nothing, just a little tired."

His sensei eyed him wearily. He could tell something was bothering Naruto but decided not to press the issue. They had been away training for so long. Naruto hadn't seen anyone from the village the entire time. It was only natural for the boy to be wondering about them Jiraiya decided, and left it at that.

"Well, hurry up. I can already see the gates and I want to get there soon. We'll have to go see Tsunade first, but then you can do as you wish. I'm sure there are some people you want to catch up with." Jiraiya said and smiled.

"Oh, um.. yeah." replied Naruto. "Sure. Thanks."

Naruto did want to see and catch up with people, but it was also what was making him nervous. How much will have changed over the years? And would anyone want to see him?

He pondered over this as he walked and took little notice of his surroundings.

Upon reaching Tsunade's office he was greeted warmly and recounted his time training. Seeing that the ninja's mind was clearly elsewhere she dismissed him, telling him to come see her again tomorrow. She told him to do as he wanted for the rest of the day, assuming he wished to see the village and its residents.

Stepping out of Tsunade's office Naruto stopped, wondering what to do. He really did want to see everyone again, but had no idea how to go about it. He could just walk around the village and hope to run into someone, but he didn't feel up to it. He could head to Iruka's, but he would be teaching this time of day.

Still thinking what to do he left the building and continued walking. Deep in thought he walked the streets not paying attention to where he was going. He walked like this for a while. Looking up, he realized he had walked right back to his old apartment building.

He walked up the stairs and entered his home. Nothing had changed. Well, except for the extra thick layer of dust. Other than that however, it was the same. He walked in and surveyed his domain. He still had no idea what to do.

_I'm back in town for less than an hour and I'm already lost._

He turned around and eyed his bed. Walking toward it he sat down. It was perfectly made_. No one's slept here in so long_ he thought and gave a small smile. It had been a while, but this was still his home. So much had changed, but still so much stayed the same. _Even now, I still feel safe here._

He lied down and wrapped his arms around a pillow. It wasn't even noon yet, but they had been up very early and they had been traveling for over a week. He really was tired. He had earned the right to nap. Reacquainting himself with Konoha could wait.

He rolled over and a picture caught his eye. It was the picture of Team 7 he kept on his night stand. Looking at it he smiled. He hadn't seen any of them in so long. Sasuke was still off with Orochimaru. Sakura should be here in the village. Perhaps he would see her tomorrow. And Kakashi…

Kakashi he wanted to see most of all.

He smiled again, even giving a small laugh as he realized what would happen. These past years he had always been so tired from training that he would fall asleep the second he lied down. Now, he thought, he would once again fall into his old sleeping patterns.

Surprisingly though, he fell asleep rather quickly. Even as he slept, the smile remained on his face.

In regards to coming back, it seems happiness was the emotion that won out in the end.

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**review?**

**btw, this is of course only chapter 1. There will be more.**


	2. Friends and Paperwork

**I updated? What is that? lol, sorry for the long wait. I stuck at a certain point and then just cut an entire scene out of this chapter because it wasn't working for me. Anyway, I'll try to update more frequently. **

**I dedicate this chapter to the 6 people who have reviewed. It's nice to know that some people actually like my writing. It makes me feel all special. **

**Enough rambling. Enjoy!**

* * *

Waking up well rested for the first time in quite a while, Naruto opened his eyes. It was already starting to get dark out. 

_Did I really sleep that long?_

Sitting up in bed he wiped the sleep from his eyes and stretched his arms. He stood up and looked out the window. It might be evening, but he decided to go for a walk. He thought it would be good to get reacquainted with Konoha before it got reacquainted with him. That way it wouldn't be such a rush all at once. A walk through the village could put him in the right frame of mind.

The streets were quiet this time of day. The day was winding down and the people of the village were doing the same. Naruto walked slowly as he traveled to nowhere in particular. He took the time to view all he could. Some buildings had been painted and a few had been renovated, but it was still the same place. It always would be and he was happy about that.

He passed Ichiraku's, but of course it was closed by now.

_Well, that's somewhere to go tomorrow_

Looking forward he saw a pink-haired girl further along the street, walking away from him. She had a large shopping bag in her hands.

_Is that…_

He picked up his pace so he could catch up with her. Getting there he casually walked up beside her and smiled. "Hello Sakura-chan."

She looked over at him and nearly dropped her bag. "NARUTO!"

"Hey," he said, still grinning.

"When did you get back?!" she asked, half yelling and still visibly shocked to see him.

"This morning. What's up?"

"WHAT'S UP! You're gone for over two years and you ask "What's up?"." She looked like she could kill him.

"Well, yeah. So, how are you?"

She exhaled. "I'm fine. Hey could you hold this for a second?" she nodded at the bag.

"Huh? Oh, yeah sure."

"Thanks," replied Sakura as he took the bag. She took this time to punch him in the head. "THAT'S FOR SNEAKING UP ON ME!"

"Oww!" he yelled in pain. _Well she hasn't changed._

"Now that that's out of the way," she said wiping her hands, "we can get on with it. How have you been all this time."

_She changes moods so fast…_

"Fine. I've been training with Jiraiya-sensei."

"So I've heard."

They walked along the road talking about all that had happened in the village while Naruto was gone. Sakura said she was still training.

_I thought her punch felt stronger._

Getting to Sakura's house they stopped and Naruto handed her back the bag.

_I'd almost forgotten about it_ she thought. _He carried it all this way for me without me even asking._

"Hey Naruto, lets go to Ichiraku's tomorrow so we can fully catch up."

"What? Oh, sure." He replied, taken aback.

"Great. I'll meet you there at noon for lunch." She smiled and walked in through the door. Naruto turned to leave. "Oh, and Naruto" he turned around. "I'm glad you're back." She smiled and closed the door.

Naruto stood for a second, just looking at the door. A smile spread across his lips. He turned and continued on his way.

_I'm glad to be back_

* * *

After his chance meeting with Sakura, Naruto, still wide awake from his near day-long nap, continued to meander his way threw the roads of Konoha. Eventually, he made his way to the top of the cliff-face that looked down upon the village and sat down atop the head of the fourth Hokage, just as he had done many times before. 

Leaning back against the rock he gazed at his hometown below. The pattern of lights he saw could have come from any random night. There was no sign of any of the change that undoubtedly occurred during his absence. Two years, or even ten years ago, the place would have looked the same. Tradition was an important thing in a ninja village and with that came certain side effects. This was one of them.

The night brought with it a cool wind, but the residual heat from the day made it pleasant and not uncomfortable. Naruto closed his eyes, more out of comfort than anything else, as he listened to the sounds of the closing day meeting those of the impending night.

* * *

The next morning found Naruto back in Tsunade's office. She was seated behind her desk listening while Naruto gave her a more detailed description of the events which had occurred while he was away. Jiraiya had of course told her himself yesterday, but she wanted to hear his version too (As well as fill out what Naruto guessed was 1000 sheets of forms and reports. Shizune was constantly running in and out of the room bringing him another one, or taking the ones he'd filled out. Naruto actually felt a little sorry for her as she had tripped over Tonton, that stupid pig, more than once.). 

_Why is she being so professional today? _he thought, glancing between the paper and the Hokage.

He would not have been here so early, but Tsunade had sent Shizune to fetch him. He was worried that he wouldn't get out of there in time to meet Sakura for lunch. Both because he was craving ramen (when was he not?) and because Sakura's wrath was not something he wanted to suffer.

Eventually after what seemed like forever (but was really only a few hours), Naruto finished his last report and had told Tsunade every detail she had asked (even things he had no idea why she would care about).

"Well," said the Hokage, looking at him from over her desk. "Now that you're back I'm sure that you must be wondering what you are to do now."

Naruto simply nodded.

"What I have planned is for you to continue training until the next Chunin exams. You might be interested to know that all your friends have already passed the test."

This did get a response. "WHAT!?!"

Tsunade smiled. "Yes. In your absence, all of them have officially become Chunin. Neji has even achieved a Jonin rank."

"You mean, I'm the only one still a Genin?"

"Yes. But, don't worry. There is another Chunin exam taking place in less than two months. If you enter, then I'm sure you'll pass. Especially given the advancement you've achieved."

Naruto still looked a little worried. His head hung low. "I've got a lot of catching up to do…" he mumbled.

"Don't worry so much Naruto-kun." said Shizune who had entered the room once again. "It's only a title. It doesn't mean as much as you think."

This seemed to cheer him up. "Thanks." he said, smiling again.

"Now run along," said the Hokage. "It's almost time for you to meet Sakura."

He'd almost forgotten. "Right!" he yelled, jumping out of his chair and heading for the door. "Wait…" he stopped. "How did you know I had to meet Sakura?"

Tsunade smiled again. "You're not the only one who's been training. I've been teaching Sakura the entire time you've been gone. She mentioned your meeting this morning. I didn't want to interrupt your little reunion, so I gave her the day off and sent Shizune to get you. I wanted to have all this done before you had to leave." She gestured to some papers on her desk.

Naruto just stared and blinked. He wasn't sure how to take this. On the one hand, it was all done and over with. On the other, he really wished he hadn't to fill out all those sheets in the morning before his brain was fully functional.

And Sakura was being trained by the Hokage!

Well, he decided not to dwell on it. It was all over now, and he could question Sakura about her training when he saw her.

He said his goodbyes and headed through the door.

* * *

**I'm not sure why I'm using honorifics some times and not others (Sakura vs. Sakura-chan). Sometimes it just feels right, and other times it doesn't. I'm not going to dwell on it, but if you want ot know why then that's it.**

**Anyway, review?**


	3. You're Kidding

**Ok, so it's been a long time sense the last update. I really have no excuse other than I'm a slow writer. I appologize.**

**Anyway, thank you for the encouraging reviews. There are only 14 but they are all very nice. You guys rock. lol**

**Just in case no one guessed, I do not own Naruto or any of it's characters (However, I do own some adorable plushies)**

* * *

Naruto was just in time to meet Sakura. He could see her walking towards Ichiraku's when he got there. They greeted and sat down to eat.

If there was just one reason to be back in Konoha it was this, he explained as he started in on his ramen. Ichiraku's was the best.

Sakura had planned on talking while they ate. However, she quickly disposed of this idea. Naruto eating ramen did not exactly leave a lot of time for conversation. In the end, Sakura had one bowl of ramen and Naruto had six. They finished at the same time.

_Way too much enthusiasm_ she thought.

She decided to resume the conversation as they left. Naruto explained his hell in the Hokage's office (as he called it) and Sakura confirmed that she was being trained by the Hokage.

_I wonder how much stronger she's gotten_. He looked at her as if this would answer the question.

"Say, Naruto." He was knocked out of his thoughts and returned to the conversation. "Lady Tsunade said you'd be continuing to train right?" He nodded. "Well, who'll be training you?"

Naruto shrugged. "Well, I guess Jiraiya-sensei will still be teaching me."

Sakura looked doubtful. "I don't think so. Lady Tsunade told be that he'd be leaving again soon to do some mission that she said was too dangerous for most ninja."

"Really? What is it?"

"Well, that's all she told me about it. I think it's classified. But, that still means that he won't be here to train you."

"Hmm," Naruto was thinking_. If Jiraiya won't be training me then…_His expression suddenly seemed to lighten. _No, that can't be it._

He didn't have much time to ponder that topic as Sakura quickly changed the topic and continued talking.

It didn't take long for them to be completely caught up. They eventually ran into Kiba and Hinata who were also strolling the streets together. They greeted him kindly. Hinata was a little quiet, but Kiba's assertiveness easily made up for it.

"They've been dating." Sakura whispered to him when the other two couldn't hear, and gave a little giggle.

* * *

Over the next few days Naruto became reacquainted with all the rest of the Konoha 11. It didn't take long for word of his arrival to spread and soon he had seen all his old friends again.

Some had sought him out, and the less enthusiastic ones, those who said they'd see him in their own time, were dragged along by others (you know who's who).

Naruto was very glad to see all his friends again.

On the third day after his meeting with the Hokage, Sakura found him.

"Naruto, Lady Tsunade told me that she wants you to meet her tomorrow at 11am."

"Really, what for?" he asked.

"She didn't say. But I'm guessing that it's about your training. You haven't trained at all since you got back. I know you've been training by yourself." she continued, recognizing the glare he was giving her. "But, I'm sure she must want you to be given some instruction." That seemed to satisfy him. "Anyway, that's just my guess. Like I said, she didn't say anything about why she wants to see you."

"You're probably right." he stated. "She did say she wanted me to continue training. She'll probably assign someone."

"Exactly. Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow." And she waved good bye.

* * *

The next morning, a little before 11 o'clock, Naruto was making his way through the Hokage tower. Reaching Tsunade's office he briefly said hello to Sakura and Shizune who were outside, but he didn't stop and chat. He could see that they were both overly busy sorting through some paperwork (some, perhaps not the best descriptive word).

_Is that all that goes on in here?_

Shizune told him that Tsunade had said for him to walk on in when he arrived, so he went straight in.

He could hear talking from the other side. He assumed that he was to meet his new sensei. Opening the door he saw the Hokage sitting behind her desk and standing in front of her was Maito Gai.

Naruto could feel his eye begin to twitch.

It wasn't that Gai was a bad person, or that Naruto didn't like him but, well… is Over-Enthusiastic one word or two?

Noticing his arrival, Tsunade greeted him and Gai yelled something about the "flames of youth." Naruto wasn't really listening. He'd learned to tune those speeches out (as had most of Konoha).

"Well Naruto," said Tsunade, starting off. "Now that your back in the village and settled in, I think it's time for you get back into routine. I've already told you about the Chunin exams and how I want you to study for them."

Naruto nodded in response.

"Well, judging from what Jiraiya has told me about your training while you were gone, and from my personal knowledge of what you're capable of, I see the exam as just an obligation. You're already as capable as any Chunin in the village." She noted the smile this put on his face.

"However, because you are still legally of Genin rank, I can't send you on missions by yourself. Also, despite what you are capable of you do have only limited experience outside of controlled conditions.

"What I've decided to do is send you out with a higher ranked ninja to accompany them on missions." Naruto glanced towards Gai. "You'll be taking on missions that would normally be assigned to a 3 or 4 man Chunin team. I'll be sending Sakura with you too. Her skill as a ninja has developed, but, like you, she still lacks field experience. Together, I think a jounin, a chunin, and a genin, you, will be able to complete your assigned missions successfully.

"Do you have any questions?"

"No," he answered.

"Good. When you're not out on missions, you will be training under your new sensei. Sakura will be training with you as well so that you can get used to fighting with each other again. Understand?"

"Uh huh."

"Ok then. You can go. You'll start training together as a team starting tomorrow. Gai, was there something you wanted to add?"

"Of course Hokage-sama." He addressed Tsunade. "Naruto, you are to meet for training tomorrow at 7 am on top of the Hokage monument. Don't be late." He gave a thumbs-up and his trade-mark smile.

"Ok, and I won't" replied Naruto, trying not to laugh. It had been a while since he'd seen that pose.

_I guess I'll have to get used to it._

"And tell Sakura the time and place on your way out," shouted Gai as Naruto left the room.

Naruto relayed the message to Sakura as he left and said goodbye to her and Shizune. They were still as busy as when he arrived.

* * *

**Review?**

**Sorry I take so long between updates. I really am. I will try to update more often. I am actually working on some other fan-fics as well (neither are Naruto related).**

**Oh, and if you see any spelling or gramatical errors then don't be afraid to tell me. I hate when I make spelling mistakes.**

**Until next time**


	4. What Happened To You?

**Hello everyone!**

**I'm actually kind of proud of myself for getting this chapter out so early (compared to normal). Anyway, for reasons you don't care about I am currently without spell-check. I've done my best, but if you see any mistakes please don't be mad, but feel free to tell me (I can't stand it when I have spelling mistakes)**

* * *

The next day, having been put on hiatus from the Hokage's teachings to train under another, Sakura was up bright and early, excited about the new (yet, oh so familiar) change in routine.

She was awake and ready to go, but she still had plenty of time before the scheduled meeting time. It wasn't a big deal though. It was an occupational hazard that (most) ninja eventually become morning people.

Having plenty of time she chose to go meet Naruto at his apartment to make sure he was ready in time. Before she left she descided to make him breakfast as a sort of welcome-back, thanks-for-carrying-my-grocries-the-other-night gift. She was currently on her way to her friends residence, bag full of breakfast ingrediants in hand.

_He probably hasn't even gone to buy groceries yet._

Arriving at her destination, she quickly walked the stairs and reached his door. She knocked firmly three times and called out. "Naruto!"

_Wonder if he's even up yet..._

Perhaps expecting having to wait a few minutes before meeting a pajama-clad Naruto, what did happen she did not expect.

Quickly after she knocked the door opened and there fully dressed and clearly wide-awake was Naruto. All he needed was to put on his shoes and he'd be fit to leave. She was slightly taken aback.

"Sakura-chan? What are you doing here?"

Still slightly surprised, it took her a few seconds before she smiled. Holding up the bag she said "I'm here to make you breakfast as a sort of welcome-back present."

Dumbstuck, Naruto blinked a few times before smiling wide and holding the door open, inviting Sakura in.

It dawned on Sakura that although she knew exactly where her friend lived, she had never actually been here before. Not once in all the years she'd known him had she stepped through that door. She was not quite sure what she expected, but it wasn't this. It was so...clean. Hell, her house wasn't as clean as this. There were no dirty clothes on the floor, no empty instant-ramen containers anywhere (except the garbage). She couldn't even notice any dust, and no one had lived here for nearly three years!

(Unknown to Sakura, Naruto had spent a lot of time the last few days cleaning out said dust that had accumulated in his absence, and had tidied the rest of his place in the process.)

"Have you eaten yet?" she asked.

"Nope, I was just about to whip something up."

"Well, you're in luck 'cause I'm going to do it for you!"

Laughing, Naruto smiled again. "Thanks Sakura-chan."

She found she couldn't help but smile and laugh too.

Breakfast went fairly well. Sakura made eggs and french toast. She cursed herself for forgetting the milk but was saved when Naruto said he had plenty. While he opened the fridge to get it Sakura was surprised to see it well stocked, disproving her earlier theory. While she spread the food onto two plates she turned to see Naruto fetch a carton of orange juice from the fridge and pour himself a glass, then another one for her. He caught her glance and gave a small smile. She just looked uterly bewildered as he turned, bringing them to the table and placing them by two already set placemats.

They chatted while eating and Naruto complemented Sakura's cooking while thanking her once again. After they finished, he promptly picked up both plates and brought them to the sink to clean before Sakura could even stand up.

Sakura's mind just stopped and backed up.

_Ok, what's going on? First, he's up and ready. Then, his apartment is spotless. Spotless! He has the ingredients I forgot. Hell, he even told me to put cinnamon in the toast and it was freaking delicious! He acts like a complete gentleman the entire time I'm here and to top it all off he's doing the dishes!_

_Who is this guy!!!_

If Naruto had bothered to look at Sakura during this time he would probobly judge, by the expression on her face, that she was trying to burn a whole clear through the salt shaker using only her eyes. As it were, he was busy trying to get a sticky piece of egg yolk off a plate.

Looking over at her friend Sakura relaxed from her stressful moment.

_I guess he's changed a bit over these past few years_. She remembered him carrying her groceries the other night. _Or maybe, I never really knew him at all_.

Looking at him she tried to figure him out. She focused hard on his face. His golden hair. His bluest-blue eyes. His soft, but well defined featues...

_He's cute..._

_Oh Crap!_

It dawned on Sakura what she had just though, and about who. She quickly turned away. She didn't see any mirrors but she was sure that her face must have matched the red in her shirt quite nicely.

_Oh Crap! Oh Crap! Damn! Damn! Damn! I did not just think that!_

It was about this time that Naruto looked up and saw Sakura sitting at the table, turned in the other direction. This would not have been odd, it's just that she somehow looked sort of tense.

"Sakura?" He was sure he almost saw her twitch when he spoke. "Are you all right?"

"Fine!" came a quick reply. If she wasn't red before, she was now. "I'm just ...thinking."

"All right." was Naruto's response. He wasn't completely satisfied, but he descided not to pry. After all, she did just come over and make him breakfast. He returned to the dishes which he was now drying.

Sakura's mind was clearing up as she started to rationalize things.

_It's ok, it's ok. It doesn't mean anything. I just said he was cute. It's just a statement of fact. It doesn't mean anything else. He's my friend and if I can't look at him and ..._

She was having trouble finishing that sentence, but figured that it wasn't important at the moment. Her face had returned to normal and she had successfully calmed her nerves.

_Deep breaths_.

Turning around she resumed talking to him but it was still a few minutes before she found she was able to look him in the eye.

It wasn't long after that they left to meet for training. They wasted no time heading to the top of the Hokage monument, so despite their breakfast there were still ten minutes or so before their scheduled meeting time.

Siting down they continued to talk. Naruto told Sakura of some of the things he had learned and answered questions about what it was like to train with Jiraiya-sensei. In turn, Sakura discussed some of the medical jutsus she had learned and what it was like to train with the Hokage.

Sakura was a little surprised at how amazed Naruto was that she was being trained by the Hokage, especially sinse both of them were being trained by Sanin.

_I guess he really does have respect for the job of Hokage_

After they discussed training, they found themselves talking about the other members of the Rookie 9 and Team Gai.

Sakura told Naruto about how Hinata and Kiba's realtionship had started. About how Neji had risen to jounin rank. How it was expected for Shikamaru to soon rise to jounin level, but that he thought that too troublesome. Naruto found himself laughing at this.

The two quickly found themselves so comfortable talking to eachother that Sakura began to forget her earlier uneasiness. In fact, shr really enjoyed talking to Naruto. It was almost like she could talk to him about anything.

"Ok, I'll tell you this, but you have to promise not to tell anybody. Anybody!" she whispered as she leaned closer. She continued after he nodded his agreement. "Well, Ino told me she has a crush on someone and you'll never guess who it is."

"Who?"

" Choji Akimichi!"

"What! Really?"

The two were so engrossed in conversation that they forgot they were waiting. In fact, they had been talking for a good long time. Far longer than the 10 minutes Naruto had expected to wait.

At one point during a break in conversation, Sakura happened to realize the time and shouted in astonishment, "Ah! It's after 9:30!"

"What!" Naruto exclained. "But that can't be right. Gai-sensei is never late. He's really good about that kind of thing."

Sakura was startled by this responce. "Gai-sensei? Naruto, why would we be meeting Gai-sensei?"

"Because he was in Tsunade's office. He said he's meet us at 7 o'clock!"

Sakura just stared at him for a moment before realizing her friends confusion. "Oh, Naruto, no. Gai-sensei was just delivering a messege. We're training with--"

She didn't get to finish. Half-way through her sentence there was a puff of smoke and a familiar ninja appeared, only one eye visible, looking downward towards a book.

"Yo"

Both students sat there looking at him. Sakura looked mildly annoyed, but Naruto sat there mouth agape, eyes wide, one eye slightly twitching.

"K...Kaka-sensei?"

* * *

**Ok, I wanted to end the chapter there. Hopefully the next chapter will be up early too, but no promises.**

**So he finally showed up huh? I'm sure some of you were waiting. Anyway, reviews are always loved.**


	5. Life and Times

**Author's Notes at end of chapter**

* * *

Naruto felt a little awkward, but it was nothing he couldn't handle. He certainly wasn't unhappy to see his old (now new, again) sensei. He just wasn't expecting it to be so sudden. Even though he'd been back in Konoha for a while, it still seemed almost unreal to see the man after so long. Not wanting to look as shocked as he was, he was struggling to think of something to say, but his mind was completely blank. Luckily, Sakura beat him to it.

"YOU'RE LATE!!!"

Kakashi didn't even respond. He just looked up from his book and gave a sigh. Putting his book away, he looked at Sakura. "And I thought you would be happy to see me." He gave a smile.

Sakura was fuming, but she let it go. She should never have expected him to show up on time.

Kakashi seemed to be enjoying himself. After nearly three years he got to annoy his students again. His right eye curved upward in a smile.

Looking back again, his eyes went past Sakura to see Naruto behind her, still siting down. "Naruto, welcome back to Konoha."

"Thank you sensei." the boy just mattered to stutter out.

_Well, that wasn't the response I expected_, thought Kakashi. _No loud declarations, not even a grin._

"So Kakashi-sensei, what are we doing today?"

Kakashi's attention was diverted back to his other student by her question.

"Ah, well I figure it's important that I find out just how much you've both progressed. I also think you both need to know each other's strengths as well, therefore..."

Naruto and Sakura could tell what they would have to do by the sound they heard before they even saw what was in their sensei's hand. Smiling, he held up two small bells.

Both students just stared at him.

"The bell test..." whined Sakura.

"Not that again." added Naruto. He was getting over the initial shock of seeing Kakashi for the first time in years and was now able to actually focus on what was going on.

"I'll see you in the usual spot." said Kakashi, and with that he was gone.

Naruto and Sakura made their way to the field and met Kakashi there.

"Ok, it's the same rules as last time. Now, this time you already know that this requires teamwork. So the main function of this exercise is to get us all accustomed to eachothers new skills. You'll have till sunrise. Is there anything you'd like to ask?"

Both students shook their head.

"Ok, go." and he disappeared.

* * *

After a very long and tiring day and night the test finally stopped. Sakura had surprised both Kakashi and Naruto with her earth-shatering (literally) punch. That combined with Naruto's new proficiency with the rasengan had left Kakashi having to fully focus on the test, his book soon forgotten.

It had taken a long time, with a lot of teamwork and planning by Naruto and Sakura, but in the end they did it. By sun-up, they had actually managed to swipe both bells from their sensei, but it had taken till the last minute to do it.

Kakashi was surprised. He knew that his students would be stronger, faster and most-likely smarter, but he still didn't expect them to get the bells.

He was proud of them. He'd never, ever say it, but he was proud of them.

With the sun getting brighter, the three went to Ichiraku's for breakfast. As tired as they were, their hunger won out. After nearly 20 hours of training in the forest they were hungry, to say the least. Luckily, being in a ninja village, Ichiraku's opened early.

Not surprisingly, Kakashi didn't eat anything. That would require removing his mask, and we couldn't have that. However, he sat with them and added the occasional comment or sentence to the conversation while still reading his book.

As tired and hungry as they were, the conversation was limited, but it mostly revolved around the test they had just done, and a few things about the last few years.

After breakfast (which was technically their supper), they all headed back to their respective homes to pass out.

* * *

Walking home, face in his book, Kakashi only seemed to be reading. He was actually reflecting on the past days activities. The bell test he had put Naruto and Sakura through had gone better than he had hoped.

_They've improved a lot. Both of them._

Making his way to his apartment, he slowly walked the stairs up to his floor. It had actually been a while since he'd done this.

Once Naruto left with Jiraiya, and Sakura started to train with the Hokage he didn't need to be here to teach them anymore. He started going out on missions again, first as a jounin, but when the Hokage saw that even this was a waste of his talents, she put him to other work. The village was still short on ninja, but when a situation came up it couldn't be ignored. She asked him to rejoin the Anbu, and he accepted. There wasn't any reason not to. He was a capable ninja when the village needed one. Being an Anbu meant spending much of the time out of the village, but as far as he saw it, he had no reason to be here.

He was a loyal Konoha ninja. If it was best for him to be an Anbu, then that's what he would do.

The reason he hadn't climbed these stairs in such a while was that while in Anbu, if he had ever needed to be here, he came threw the window. It was just easier, and quicker.

This morning, walking slowly, he had no need to hurry, so he took the stairs.

Opening his door, he entered his apartment and let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Adjusting to becoming an Anbu again had had it's challenges, but stopping it again, was perhaps even more difficult. Some time before Naruto returned to the village, the Hokage informed Kakashi that his student and the Sanin were returning. When this happened, he would resign once again from the Anbu and form a team with Naruto and Sakura. The next mission he was given would be his last as an Anbu.

The mission itself was fairly long, nearly a month, but it was rather simple, at least as far as an Anbu mission could be. He and two others were to scout out the hideout of a group of missing-nin, mostly from the hidden stone and mist villages. They were to observe, then obtain certain information and eliminate the targets. It had been easy, as no more than two of the missing-nin were at Jounin rank. It was just too dangerous to leave them be. The ninja had been treatening to cause a problem for Konoha and it's allies, so they were to be removed from the picture. In the entire time he was gone, Kakashi only had to activate his sharingan once.

Being an Anbu had been, to him at least, a lot easier than one might think. When on a mission, it required total concentration. Any laziness could be fatal, to the entire team. When not on a mission, he caught up on much needed rest. It didn't leave time for much idle thought or socialization.

Today he had met with Naruto and Sakura for the first time in almost 3 years. Naruto had been off with Jiraiya during this time, so obviously Kakashi hadn't seen him. However, Sakura had been right here in the village and he'd only seen her a handful of times, all of them in the Hokage tower.

Now, standing in his kitchen, he had something he hadn't had in ages; free time. He quickly made some breakfast, not having eaten with Naruto and Sakura, as usual. He sat down and removed his mask. It felt so much a part of him now that he felt odd when it wasn't on. He even wore it at home. Unless he was eating or showering, it was always on his face. He'd even started wearing it when sleeping. It had become as much a part of him (in his mind, and perhaps others as well) that it was just like his skin or hair, just another body part.

He'd been wearing a mask almost as long as he could remember. Even back when he himself was placed in a genin team. Thinking back on it, he remembered his former sensei and his teamates.

They had all died.

After that he had descided that he wouldn't get close to anyone again. He would not allow himself. He never showed it, but he hurt inside. The loss of everyone close to you is a high toll. Every time he went to the monument for Knonoha's fallen ninja he remembered every one of them. He remembered when he thought he knew everything, when he met his team and when he lost them. That's why he was always late. It was usually pretty hard to pull away. Sometimes it was easier to pretend he was till in the past.

This morning he spent even longer there than usual. It had been a while sense he'd been able to visit it regularly, but once again the memories came flooding back.

He was feeling rather ambivalent towards leaving the Anbu. Part of him truely wasn't sure how to start dealing with everyday life again. He hadn't had to do that for a long time. These past few years had flew by to him. He hadn't had to focus on anything other than missions, and as a result he didn't realize as the time went by. Each day was pretty much the same as the last. Concentrate on the mission, perform your task, stay alive.

Rinse and repeat.

On the other hand, looking back at the day gone bye, he couldn't help but smile when he remembered the time he had spent with Naruto and Sakura. Even if they were fighting or avoiding each other for most of the time, it was nice to be Team 7 again. During the few moments he had been able to the last few years, he had found himself thinking about Team 7. He'd kind of missed being in that team. He felt almost as though he was back in his old team again. It was nice to have ...could he call them friends?

A sad look came upon his face. He couldn't stop himself from thinking, how long could it last this time? Sasuke was already gone. He wasn't dead, but...well... There were just three of them left. This was why he wasn't supposed to get close to people. It didn't last. Something always happened to rip things apart. People didn't just stay around.

Still sitting at the table, he finished his food.

God, he was lonely...

* * *

**Ok, ok, sad ending...I just wanted to focus on Kakashi for a bit, and this is how it came out. **

**I guess it's weird for me to update this quickly. However, I will have massive school-work issues for quite a while (at least a few weeks. Stupid university...) so it may be a while till the next update. However, I'll try to make it worth the wait. I wrote a scene before I wrote this chapter that will probobly be in one of the next few chapters and I think there's at least one good laugh in it. The entire story will not be as heavy as this chapter.**

**So Please leave me reviews. Thank you to everone who has done so already. Reviews are the encouragement that keeps me going. I do take kindly to positive criticism, so don't be afraid. And I'm still working without spell-check. Hope to remedy that soon, but please bear with me and tell me if anything's grammatiaclly incorrect.**

**Till next time!**


	6. Night Visions

**I really need to update more often...**

**I just want to say that 23 people have added this story to their favorite list. Thank You All! **

**Anyway, more notes at the bottom. Enjoy!**

* * *

The days that passed saw Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi continue to train. They were soon assigned their first mission, one to gather information. However, despite being a B-rank, Naruto found it as uneventful as any D-rank he'd ever been a part of.

The three were soon finding themselves back into the normal routine of training and missions with each other, though be it with more important missions than before. Tsunade had to make use of every ninja she had and so that meant they were kept very busy.

Their new arrangement as teammates and not just teacher and students put more responsibility on the two younger ninja, but they were quite capable of accepting it. In the past few years they had both learned to deal with an increasing role.

On the return from a particularly tricky mission where Sakura's medical jutsu played an important role, the three were setting up camp for the night. They would rest here and resume their travel home the next morning. They could be home by noon the next day if they traveled through the night, but Naruto had injured his ankle while fighting another ninja. Sakura had treated it, but said that he should still stay off it for at least a few hours. Kakashi believed there would be little danger in this. They were still in Fire Country and they had defeated both of the opposing ninja they had encountered, so they would camp out and leave at 7 the next morning.

While Kakashi searched the area, Sakura was starting a fire. Naruto sat nearby. She had instructed him to stay off his feet.

"Are you sure you don't need any help, Sakura-chan?"

"Yes Naruto. Now sit down. Your foot will be fine, but only if you let it heal properly. And I'm only stating a fire, I've done it a million times."

Reluctantly, Naruto sat down. However, it wasn't another minute before Sakura had a full fire roaring. She then started setting up a quick dinner – ironically ramen. All she had to do was boil water. Naruto was very happy.

The two had a quick meal with Naruto only slightly upset that there were no seconds. He was too tired to whine for more than ten minutes.

It wasn't long before Kakashi returned, satisfied that the area was secure.

Sakura and Naruto soon headed off to bed (separate tents). Kakashi remained awake and on watch.

Some time later after he was sure the two were asleep he ate something himself in private.

Hours later found Kakashi sitting against a tree, reading his trademark book (when you can read in the dark, you know you're a good ninja). Hearing a noise he looked up to see Naruto emerging from his tent. Kakashi met his eyes.

"Gotta use the bathroom," stated Naruto, knowing the question of why he was awake without it being asked. He walked off into the woods trying to keep the weight off his right foot. He could walk fine now, but if anything happened then Sakura would give him hell and it was much easier to put up with a slower gait than Sakura's anger.

Returning, Naruto glanced around camp, his eyes settling on Kakashi. "You want me to take up watch?"

"No. Go back to sleep." he answered, not looking up from his book.

Ignoring the instructions, Naruto hobbled towards Kakashi and sat down close by. "You're not tired?"

"I'm fine."

The two ninja sat in silence for a few moments until Naruto spoke up again. "Umm, thanks for the help back there. I could have been off my feet for a lot longer than a couple hours."

"No problem." During their last fight, Kakashi had gotten to Naruto's aid just in time. A few seconds longer and Naruto would not have hurt his ankle, but he would have lost his leg.

The silence resumed over the two. Kakashi observed Naruto's stance. His eyes stared at the ground just past his feet, his gaze unwavering.

"Something wrong Naruto?"

"What? Oh, no, nothing." he stammered. Kakashi stared unconvinced, but if Naruto chose not to tell him, it was his right.

"You should return to bed."

"I can take watch."

"Go to sleep Naruto."

With that, Naruto stood and returned to his tent. As he disappeared inside Kakashi's eyes wandered from his book. His gaze lingered for a few minutes before returning.

His thoughts now paid little attention to the words on the page. He was wondering about Naruto. He could tell that the younger ninja had something on his mind, something other than taking watch. His eyes and manner betrayed his words.

_What was it? He obviously had something to say._

He put it out of his thoughts. Perhaps he'd find out in the morning.

* * *

Entering his tent, Naruto sat down, still avoiding use of his injured foot. He got in his sleeping bag, but remained sitting. Wrapping his arms around his knees he then laid his head upon them. Breathing deeply he listened to the night noises. They were in a forest, like that which covered most of their country. As such the night air was rich with the sounds of animals, if you only listened for them, and the wind could be heard moving the fabric of the tent.

He sat there a few minutes just letting the noise relax him.

His breathing slowed as he inhaled the cooling night air. He was tired but he didn't feel like sleeping just yet. Lying down, he continued to listen to the night music.

It wasn't long before his thoughts lingered to the ninja outside his tent.

Despite all the time he had spent away from Konoha his feelings toward the man had not faded. There were many nights far from his hometown that he still found himself thinking about Kakashi.

Now, having returned he saw the man on a regular basis. If anything, it only increased his feelings.

_I wonder what he thought when he saw me again?_

Naruto thought about his first encounters with all his friends' since returning to Konoha. Sakura and the others had all been fairly vocal in their greetings. Even Hinata managed to get out a "Welcome back Naruto-kun." At Ichiraku's he'd been given free ramen. Iruka had nearly suffocated him in a hug their first meeting.

Kakashi however was harder to read. After in initial greetings and getting re-adjusted to training with each other again it was almost as if he'd never left. The jounin did not seem the type to get sentimental.

Naruto put it out of his mind. There was no use trying to get into the other ninja's head. He was an enigma if there ever was one and there was no way Naruto would figure him out.

However, that didn't mean he put the man completely out of his thoughts.

Closing his eyes and putting his arms behind his head, Naruto pictured the man's face. Kakashi's image was often in Naruto's last thoughts at night. It was just one of the side effects of infatuation. Knowing that the man was just outside only made him smile.

Like many times before, he began to imagine what lay under the mask.

_The eternal question._

However, despite the often-repeated attempts he couldn't satisfy his own curiosity. Every possibility he created, every jaw-line, every skin tone, every pink shade of his lips never seemed right. Reality really was more amazing than fiction and Naruto gained more pleasure from glimpsing that one eye with his own two than any fantasy his mind could create.

_I'll see his real face some day._

Eventually he went back to a known image, Kakashi with his mask on. It at least was real and real was what he wanted.

Slowly, he drifted into sleep, the smile still on his face.

* * *

Naruto opened his eyes. He was sitting on a grassy hillside. A light breeze moved through his hair and the forest was visible below him. Glancing at himself he noticed his clothes. He was wearing a simple white shirt, no sleeves, and matching white pants. He wore no shoes and felt no hitai-ate on his forehead.

Looking up he saw the sun burning bright above him and he breathed in the fresh air. He stared transfixed for a moment at the clouds moving past when a sound startled him.

Looking down between his legs he saw a small fox staring back at him. Meeting his eyes for a moment, it then gave another little "yip."

Naruto smiled. "Kyuubi!" He reached up to scratch behind the kitsune's ears.

The fox remained for a few seconds before jumping up and running down the hill. At the edge of the forest it stopped and turned, glancing at Naruto for just a moment before disappearing into the trees.

Naruto sat transfixed for a minute before getting up.

"Ok, ok, I can take a hint."

He walked down the hill and made his way to the trees. There was a small path where the underbrush was not quite as thick. As he followed the meanders through the trees he looked around. Everything looked the same. There were trees and shrubs to his sides, fallen leaves and earth beneath his feet. The odd thing was the clarity of it all. Beneath the forest canopy everything should be dim, but the forest was clear as day.

As he continued walking he spotted a clearing and soon the path opened up to it. He was now in a grassy meadow with a small river running through its center. His eyes followed the water as it moved downstream coming to rest on a figure standing by the banks.

Turning around, the man looked at Naruto, smiling.

"You came."

"Kaka-sensei?"

Kakashi stood there wearing the same clothes as Naruto, only black instead of white, and with his ever-present mask. Looking down Naruto noticed Kyuubi peaking out from behind Kakashi's legs.

Giving a small grin (if foxes can grin) he darted into the forest, this time not stopping to glance back.

Naruto walked toward the water and Kakashi. "What are…"

"Shh." Naruto was cut off as Kakashi's finger came to his lips. His eyes wide he stared into the mismatched eyes of the other. Kakashi wore no hitai-ate either and Naruto could clearly see both a dark right eye and the left red sharingan. Both eyes curved upwards into a smile.

Naruto was focusing so hard that he didn't realize Kakashi had moved closer. He placed both hands at Naruto's side and leaned his head down so they were at the same level. Naruto was nearly as tall as he was.

Moving in slowly, he placed his lips upon Naruto's.

Naruto finally realized what was happening. He felt those cloth-covered lips against his own but was too shocked to respond.

Breaking the kiss, Kakashi looked into Naruto's eyes.

"Naruto."

"…yes"

"Naruto, I want you to do something." He brought his hands up to cup Naruto's face. "I… I need you to do something."

Naruto felt his own face flush as his heart sped up and his breathing became erratic.

"What…what is it?" he could barely speak.

Kakashi moved down, his lips almost touching Naruto's ear.

"I need you," he whispered. "I need you ...to wake up."

Naruto's eyes shot open and he sat up straight, still in his sleeping bag.

He could see the morning light sneaking into his tent and vaguely hear Sakura getting up nearby.

Grabbing his hair in both hands he flopped back down on the ground and suppressed the urge to scream.

* * *

**Hope you liked it. I figured a story named "Wishful Dreaming" did need another dream in it.**

**I swear, I do want to update more often, I just can't write as often as I would like.**

**I have some of the future stuff written already, I just feel the need to establish some other things first, probably in the next chapter. **

**Reviews are welcome, and loved. Oh, I'm thinking of changing the story summary to something a little more specific or interesting, lol. Any ideas are appreatiated.**


	7. Three Meals

**I'm updating. YAY!**

**I'm really sorry it took so long, but you know the drill.**

**I got some really nice reviews. Thank you! I think I promised the last two people an update soon, so here it is.**

* * *

"Well, back to work I suppose. I hope Shizune hasn't found any more paperwork for the Hokage. I'll just have to end up doing it …again."

Naruto and Sakura walked towards the Hokage's office. They had just spent lunch together at Ichiraku's. Kakashi was currently away on a mission, one too dangerous for their skill level, so that left the two younger ninja still in Konoha. He would not be gone long, just a few days, but in the meantime Sakura was to aid the Hokage and Naruto was to train on his own.

The two ninja were spending more and more time together these days, even if one discounted missions. Ever sense their talk, the one before their first meeting with Kakashi after Naruto's return, they had started to open up to one another (even if they didn't realize it). It was good to have someone you could talk with, about something not mission-related, and they had found that they could talk to each other with ease.

This had been one of many lunch meetings between the two and as was custom, Naruto was accompanying Sakura on her walk back to the Hokage tower. They took their time as Sakura was in no hurry to return. Training with the Hokage might sound impressive but while Kakashi was away Sakura was finding herself cooped up in Tsunade's office doing the Hokage's work for her.

Upon returning the two ninja found the female sanin waiting for them.

"Tsunade-sama." Sakura bowed in greeting.

"Hey Ba-chan!"

"Sakura, Naruto" she responded, a tick only barely visible on her forehead. "I have good news." She turned her focus to Naruto. The next Chunin exam will take place in just under two months and I've already made arrangements for you to be able to take it."

"You mean I'll finally be a Chunin!" Naruto couldn't help but yell. Being the only one of your friends who hadn't surpassed genin status was a little embarrassing, not that he would ever admit it.

"That's assuming you pass the test." Seeing the look on his face she then added, "Although I have no doubt that you will. You are a genin in name, not ability." Noting the approval on his face, she continued.

"Now due to your particular circumstances you will not be able to take the test in a three genin team. Sakura and one other member of the Rookie 9, that I will select, will accompany you for the team portion of the test, then resign once the individual portion begins. There will be no need for them then. They will wait until you have completed the exam and then you will travel back to Konoha together."

"Where will the exam be held this time?" Sakura interrupted.

"Sand. You will leave five days before the exam begins. It will take four days travel time, if you do not rush. Naruto, I expect you to pass the exam, but I don't want you exhausted the moment you arrive. This leaves one extra day in the event of a delay. Should you arrive early, familiarize yourself with the Hidden Sand village."

Naruto was hardly listening. He was so excited that he would be able to finally take the exam that he was finding it hard to pay attention to mundane details like travel time. He said his goodbyes (with much enthusiasm) and left to continue his solitary training for the day.

"Goodbye Naruto." waved Sakura as he exited the door. "See you tonight."

Tsunade was barely listening, but that last comment sparked her interest. "Tonight?"

Sakura was surprised by the Hokage's query but responded simply, "Oh, nothing. I invited him over for dinner."

Interest level peeked.

_Now that's interesting. They have been spending a lot of time together lately…and now she invites him to dinner. Hmm, I wonder…_

If Sakura had bothered to look behind herself then she might have noticed a particularly curious grin plastered on the Hokage's face.

"So what now, more paperwork?"

Tsunade was tempted to say yes but instead she responded, "No. Follow me to the Hospital. I have a medical jutsu I would like to show you."

* * *

Naruto was travelling toward the forest just outside Konoha. He was planning to continue his solitary training now that his lunch break with Sakura had ended. His mind was still reeling with thoughts about the Chunin exams though so he would have trouble concentrating.

However, he knew that training would be an essential part of passing the test. That helped him keep his mind in check. Upon arriving in the forest he split his training into three parts. First, target practice for accuracy. Second, tree-walking for chakra control. Finally, just physical exercise for strength and agility.

When the time came he left to go to Sakura's for dinner. They talked animatedly and Naruto thanked Sakura generously for the food. After helping her with the dishes he said his good-byes and they agreed to meet up for lunch again tomorrow.

Now revitalized, he decided to get a bit more training in before the day ended.

* * *

Walking home from the forest Naruto was now too tired to even think about the Chunin exams anymore. He had so much energy due to his excitement but he had effectively drained himself of it all (for now). He had trained well into the evening. His last exercise was to run laps around Konoha and he ended up doing twenty of them.

_I'd better watch out or I'll turn into Fuzzy Brows…_

A faint shudder managed to pass through his shoulders despite his tired body.

He has reached to village gates and was wandering through the streets taking the quickest way he knew to get back to his apartment. He wanted sleep and he wanted it now. As he walked he was almost nodding off, his subconscious guiding him in the proper direction. He was barely aware of the world around him.

"Yo."

"ARGH!"

He nearly fell over.

"HEY, WATCH WERE YOU'RE -- "

Looking up Naruto saw Kakashi's face looking down at him blankly. Book in hand and slightly slouched, his one visible eye was half-lidded and looking in his direction. He somehow portrayed a "what the hell" and "I don't care" look both at the same time.

_Oh damn! You just made yourself look stupid in front of Kakashi-sensei. Ah, he's still looking at you…say something…say something…_

"DON'T SNEAK UP ON ME, PERVERT!"

No reaction. "… great ninja skills."

"I WAS TIRED!"

"Oh, then that makes it ok."

Naruto was actually getting mad now. Oh course Kakashi could catch him off guard. Kakashi was a much more skilled ninja than he was. And he had been training all day! He really was tired! Not just tired, exhausted! And… wait, wasn't Kakashi supposed to be out of the village.

"I thought you were on a mission?"

"I finished it."

"Uh…huh."

Kakashi was not moving. His position steady, book held in the air, his expression deadpan. With that mask on it was barely noticeable that he was talking. It was a comical juxtaposition to Naruto's raving.

"Congratulations."

"What?"

"You're finally going to take the Chunin exams."

"How do you know?"

"A little birdie told me."

"…right."

"Come on. I'll treat you to a bowl of ramen." With that his eye turned up in a smile and he began walking (he loved annoying his students…and anyone else. He really did).

Naruto did a 180 here. A moment ago all he wanted to do was go home and sleep for all eternity. His change was for two reasons. One, time spent with Kakashi, though sometimes aggravating, was something he craved. Two, he never, ever, EVER, said "No" to free ramen. Kakashi treating him to free ramen was the best of both worlds!

He quickly chased after his sensei, a grin plastered on his face.

* * *

They found Ichiraku's still open and sat down on the center stools. There were no other customers right now.

Naruto gave his order. Kakashi, as usual, had nothing. He just sat and read his book.

Naruto thanked Kakashi for the food and began to eat. Halfway through his bowl though he stopped. Kakashi hadn't said a word sense they arrived, and he wasn't eating. This wasn't really anything new, but…

"Kakashi-sensei."

He looked from his book, acknowledging the name.

"Why aren't you eating anything?" Naruto asked.

"I'm not hungry." And with that he returned to his glance to the book.

"You never eat with us." It was true. "You have to be hungry sometimes."

"Sometimes."

"It's because of the mask isn't it?"

Kakashi didn't respond so Naruto continued. "To eat you'd need to take off your mask. You never take off your mask, so… is that why you never eat with us?"

He was right. Naruto had hit the nail right on the head, but Kakashi wasn't about to tell him that. He just kept staring straight at his book and for once he didn't know what to say. They both remained silent for a moment. Naruto was waiting for a response and Kakashi didn't have one.

He decided not to answer it at all. He simply said, "Eat you ramen Naruto. Before it gets cold." He did.

The rest of Naruto's meal preceded much the same as the first half, with neither one of them saying anything, although Naruto couldn't help but feel an uncomfortable air about the place now. If Kakashi felt it however, he did not show it.

When he finished the bowl Kakashi paid for it and they began to walk away. Neither one of them said anything but Naruto knew that they were walking towards his place. He wasn't sure why Kakashi was walking with him. He was actually suspecting the ninja to make a quick escape after his comment, to be annoyed or something. Perhaps he was, though he didn't show it. Kakashi never showed much of anything. Either way, he was glad for the company.

Arriving at Naruto's door Kakashi said simply "We'll resume our training tomorrow. Meet at the regular place and time." With that he walked off, book still in hand.

Naruto walked upstairs and collapsed on his bed. It had been a strange night. He wasn't really sure what to make of it. He was partially worried that he might have offended Kakashi, but he also though that if that were true then Kakashi would have left. He certainly wouldn't have walked him home. He really was conflicted.

Whatever the truth though, Kakashi had found him (he half suspected, half hoped). Kakashi had bought him ramen, and Kakashi had walked him home. He fell asleep with a smile on his face.

* * *

Walking home Kakashi's face was staring at the page in front of him, but his focus was elsewhere. He was thinking about his "conversation" with Naruto at the Ramen stand, replaying the whole thing over in his mind.

_He's starting to figure me out._

He wasn't sure how to respond to this.

**I hope you liked it. I think you'll all like the next chapter. I think there's a funny part...**

**So if you're all nice and give me nice reviews then I promise to get it out faster. :)**


	8. Just a Question

**This ones a little short, but important.**

**I'd like to thank all my wonderful reviewers. You are the reason I continue to write and post. Encouragement goes a long way.**

* * *

The next few days saw things go back to routine. Tsunade had informed Sakura of Kakashi's return. The three resumed training together and performed a small mission not too far from the village.

Everything seemed normal to Naruto. They did their ninja duty and he and Sakura spent time together on their own time. He noticed that Kakashi didn't bring up the night at Ichiraku's. He wasn't sure if this was intentional or if it was just Kakashi being Kakashi. Either way he didn't expect an answer to his question.

One day both he and Sakura were early to meet Kakashi (not that it mattered, he would be late anyway). As usual they were talking. Nothing mission related, just this and that.

They were sitting on a bench in a small field, facing a road that led out of the village. They were both looking towards it, watching the occasional person walk one-way or the other. There wasn't a whole lot more to do. Who knew how long they would be waiting. Kakashi was a good ninja and a good sensei, but punctual he was not.

They watched the road. Sakura or Naruto would sometimes make a comment, but mostly they were quiet. A merchant would pass by and they'd comment on his produce. "I don't like pears that much." Someone would walk out of the village. "I wonder where they're going?" Nothing important.

Sakura was trying to think of something better to talk about. Who knew how long Kakashi would take. Time would pass much faster if she could think of something. What didn't she know about Naruto? She knew his fighting skills, his life in the village, likes and dislikes…

A young woman walked by. She was pretty but Sakura's first thought was that she liked the dress she was wearing. A new idea occurred to her however.

Likes and dislikes…

"Naruto, do you like anybody?" she asked.

His eyes went wide. Should he tell her? They had been getting along rather well ever sense he returned to Konoha. They'd talked a lot and he felt comfortable discussing things with her. She'd shared secrets with him, trusted him. They were friends, actual friends, close friends. This meant a lot to him. He could trust her couldn't he?

Sakura was looking at Naruto. The fact that he was taking so long to respond (and the slight pink tinge to his cheeks) told her that the answer was yes.

"Well, ...kind …of..." he finally stuttered out.

_I knew it_

"Well then, who is it?" she all but screamed at him.

Naruto caught her eye and then slowly looked away. He couldn't do this. He just couldn't. Could he?

He'd never told anyone before that he liked Kakashi. Not even that he liked guys. No one knew.

This wasn't entirely true. Although he had never told anyone, it wasn't true that no one knew. After spending years training with Jiraiya, the man had figured it out. Being the professional pervert that he was, the sanin was easily able to tell when someone was ogling another person. Naruto, being the healthy teenager that he was had certainly let his eye wander from time to time, whether he realized it or not. However, what Jiraiya had noticed was that Naruto's eyes didn't wander towards girls, but towards other guys. He had figured out that Naruto was probably gay, but had decided not to bring it up.

For all Jiraiya knew, the boy hadn't figured it out himself yet, and even if he had, it was Naruto's choice to approach the topic. He'd discuss it when he was ready.

Besides, what was he supposed to say? "So Naruto. You're gay. How 'bout that?"

Awkward wasn't even the word. He just let it be.

But this didn't help Naruto at the moment. Sakura had asked him who his crush was and he just couldn't bring himself to say it. "I... don't wanna say..." he managed.

This wasn't good enough for Sakura though. Naruto had peaked her curiosity and she wasn't giving up that easy. "C'mon," she pleaded. "I promise I won't tell anyone." She meant it.

Naruto was staring straight down between his knees. This was so awkward. He swished he hadn't said anything. He just managed to shake his head.

"Well," Sakura continued. "How about if I just guess?"

Naruto just looked at her. He really did want to tell her, but he also really didn't think he could do it. He didn't know how. "Well, ok."

Sakura smiled. "Ok then. Is it someone you met while you were away?" Naruto shook his head. "Then, it's someone from Konoha." This time, after a moment's hesitation, he nodded.

_Perfect. I can figure it out then._

"Well...is it someone from Team 8? Team 10?" Both times he shook his head.

Then, before he knew what was happening he added "Team 7."

The implications of this comment didn't hit him until after he spoke it. Looking up he saw Sakura staring back at him. Quickly trying to remedy the situation he started waving his hands and shook his head. "No, no Sakura-chan. Not you. I didn't-...I mean I don't like you. I mean…I don't like you like that. I mean, I like you as a friend, but not..." He was babbling.

Sakura found herself calming at this (and slightly disappointed, though she wouldn't realize that till later). This was only fleeting however. She started to think again. She was the only girl in Team 7. Naruto said his crush was in Team 7. The only other person was...

But Naruto wasn't, isn't… he didn't like..., did he? The conversations tone seemed to dawn on her. Naruto's evasiveness, his embarrassment, and he all but said it...

She looked up at him. "Naruto... You mean Sasuke...."

It was now Naruto's time to be shocked. He could feel his face contorting. "What! ...Eew! ....No!!" Those few words were all he could manage out at Sakura's accusation. He had never, NEVER so much as thought about Sasuke like that, even once. Ever!

Sakura was confused. She was wrong. Ok, so Naruto not liking Sasuke shouldn't have been a surprise...at all. But then what did that mean. Naruto liked someone in Team 7. It wasn't her. It wasn't Sasuke. Who else was there? They were placed in 3 person teams.

"But…there's…there's no one else…"

Seeing his friend's confusion, and knowing that she'd eventually figure it out anyway, Naruto decided to just suck it up and say it. "Sakura, I..."

But, as usual, their conversation was cut short as someone appeared in a puff of chakra smoke.

Kakashi was used to a variety of greetings as he arrived to meet his team. He's met cheerful grins, yells of protest (usually regarding his tardiness) and stoic indifference. However, the sight before him today was brand new to him. It was enough to make him raise his visible eyebrow in surprise.

Sakura's eyes were wide with surprise and her jaw was hanging as she stared at him. Was her right eye starting to twitch? Slowly she turned to look at her teammate. Naruto's face was as red as humanly possible and his shoulders tense as he stared straight ahead, not making eye contact with either of them. He wasn't moving at all. Even his breath was caught.

It was certainly not the greeting he had expected. Kakashi's curiosity was rising, though he'd never admit it.

_The one day I don't eavesdrop on them… _His eyebrow fell again.

* * *

**Oh I've been waiting to post this. I hope you like**

**as always, reviews are loved. Also, any constructive critisism is welcomed. I'm sorry it's been so long between posts.**


	9. We Need to Talk

**Wow, it's been so long. I'm sorry. **

**It seems everyone liked last chapter. I'm glad.**

**I'd like to dedicate this chapter to Narukashi666 who gave me the kick in the butt I needed to finish this chapter, lol**

**Also, I have over 70 reviews! Thank you all so much! I never thought I would even get ten! Your support is greatly appretiated.** 3

* * *

It had been a few days since Naruto had told Sakura of his feelings for their sensei. He had caught them off guard (this would be shameful for a ninja, but this was Kakashi. He could sneak up on anyone).

Naruto worried that Kakashi had overheard them, but in the days following he made no mention of it. It seemed Naruto had been lucky. Sakura was flabbergasted. She would never have guessed this in a million years. She wasn't sure how to react. She would keep Naruto's secret, of course. They had become such good friends.

He must give her every detail. Her curiosity demanded it.

There lay the problem. They had been training relentlessly for days. They had had no time to talk of it.

Currently they were on a training field in the north of the village. Naruto and Sakura were sparring while Kakashi watched, commenting on their form, giving advice when he saw fit. They were about to be interrupted.

Kakashi noticed her first, but waited for another to comment. A subtle training exercise.

"Tsunade, what are you doing here?"

The Hokage stepped into the clearing. "I'm here regarding Sakura's training, Naruto." She looked toward her apprentice.

"A patient has been admitted with amanita poisoning. It's a type of mushroom and lethal when ingested. It's rare in these parts because this particular species does not grow in the land of fire. It is complicated to heal, but within your skill level to treat. I don't know when a chance to show you the required techniques will come up again, so I've decided to show you now."

She turned to Kakashi. "Proper treatment requires a series of procedures over a forty hour period, so Sakura will be removed from your team for the next two days. You will have no mission so I suggest that you tutor Naruto personally."

Sakura had to stifle a laugh at Tsunade's phrasing.

_Naughty Thoughts_

With that she turned to leave. Sakura followed after her.

Tsunade began discussing the way to identify this particular mushroom species. Sakura was only partly listening. She was a little annoyed that the Hokage had showed up. Normally she was eager to learn anything new from Tsunade, but right now all she could think was that it would be at least another 40 hours until she could talk to Naruto about his crush.

The moved quickly towards the hospital, Sakura's mind periodically tuning into the Hokage's instructions and thinking about her teammates.

* * *

That left just Naruto and Kakashi on the training grounds. Kakashi simply decided that they would work on Chakra control, in which Sakura was already proficient. Combining this with the rasengan would be a good training exercise for his male student.

Naruto however was not adjusting as well. Being alone with Kakashi was one thing when they were just talking. Training with him without another student to divide his attention was more nerve-racking. With his secret out (even if it was only to one person), the idea that every little mistake was being analyzed was making him edgy. He wasn't focusing his chakra as well as he could.

Naruto stood in the middle of a clearing, practicing his rasengan. More specifically, nine Naruto were practicing. Three sets of three Naruto were producing a rasengan each.

Kakashi was trying to teach Naruto better chakra control by dividing its use. His idea was for Naruto to produce three rasengan at once. To do this would require precise portioning of his chakra. Not only would each rasengan have to receive the proper energy, but each shadow clone also needed the correct amount as well. Enough chakra to execute the move, but not so much that the other clones were deficient.

Kakashi himself would be able to see how much was divided up into each clone and advise Naruto when he saw too much or too little.

They practiced until Naruto performed too Kakashi's standards.

When his training day was over, he was glad to leave his sensei's presence.

There was a first time for everything.

* * *

The next day Naruto performed a bit better. He was focusing all his thoughts on forming shadow clones and rasengan and not thinking about Kakashi watching him. He was still glad when the training was over for the day. Satisfied with Naruto dividing chakra for three rasengan, today he was made to do twenty. That not only meant 20 rasengan at once, but 60 shadow clones. By the time they were done he was exhausted.

He was about to make a quick exit like he had done yesterday, but he was interrupted.

"Naruto, walk with me."

Naruto looked back and there was Kakashi holding his book, not even looking at him.

_Pervert_

"Kakashi-sensei?"

He turned around and started walking towards the village. Naruto knew he had heard Kakashi, even if he didn't respond. Kakashi was just being his normal weird self and not responding.

They walked into the village in silence. Kakashi never stopped reading his book.

_What does he want? He hasn't said a word…_

Naruto was starting to get uncomfortable. What did Kakashi want? He was getting really nervous. What if Kakashi had overheard his conversation with Sakura!

Kakashi turned and sat down. They were at the ramen stand. Naruto had been so deep in thought and worry that he hadn't even noticed where they were headed.

He calmed down now.

_Ramen makes everything better._

He sat down and ordered.

Ichiraku's Ramen Stand was possibly Naruto's favorite place in the whole world. It wasn't because ramen was amazing and awesome (it was though, of course), but because of all the memories he had there. Almost every happy moment in his childhood happened here, like when Iruka treated him to ramen. He felt at peace here.

He was almost halfway through his bowl.

"Naruto, we need to talk."

Naruto's hand stopped halfway to his mouth, the ramen hanging in mid-air. People only used that phrase when there was something on their mind. Something important.

And it could go two ways. This would either turn out really bad or really good.

He placed his chopsticks back in the bowl. He wouldn't be able to swallow. He was too nervous. He couldn't even look at Kakashi.

When his student didn't respond Kakashi continued. "This past week I've noticed some things." Naruto's eyes widened. "The way you act around me. The way Sakura's been acting. She keeps looking at you strangely…" His breath quickened. "And then there's the conversation I interrupted between you two…"

_Oh No. Oh NO!_ Naruto was screaming inside his head. _He's figured it out!_

He'd been so careful. He'd always been aware of his actions around Kakashi. He couldn't find out! Naruto had no idea what the older ninja would do. Perhaps he'd be mad, maybe he would laugh.

The idea that Kakashi would like him as well was something he only entertained in hopes and dreams. He's never considered it rationally or in reality.

The worst possible outcome was that Kakashi would abandon him. Stop being his teacher, stop talking to him, stop being there. He couldn't handle life without Kakashi, even if it was friendship, he needed that.

And now it would all be decided. What would Kakashi do? Naruto wasn't even breathing. All the possible outcomes were spinning around in his head. It felt like it had been hours since Kakashi had last spoken when really it had been only seconds.

"Naruto"

_Here it comes_. It was all going to be let out in this one moment.

"Are you and Sakura having a sexual relationship?"

He actually fell off his chair.

"WHAT!?!"

_WHAT!?!_

"Naruto, if you and Sakura have developed an intimate relationship then it could seriously…"

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"

The conversation had taken the last turn that Naruto expected. He did not see this coming.

Kakashi was just staring at his student. Naruto genuinely didn't expect this. That was clear. He'd been wrong. If something were going on between his students then Naruto wouldn't have reacted like this. Naruto was staring back at him. The mixed look of shock and terror on his face was amusing if nothing else. Kakashi smiled and held out his hand. After a few seconds Naruto took it and he helped him up.

"You thought…you thought Sakura and I…" he couldn't even say it.

"You have been acting strangely."

Slight panic returned to Naruto. _Lead him off the trail…_

"I have not!"

Kakashi just stared back at him with a deadpan expression. There was silence between them. Naruto didn't trust himself to talk and Kakashi was analyzing his face.

"Ok then" was his eventual reply. They stared at each other a while longer.

"Well then Naruto, Sakura rejoins us tomorrow. I'll see you then." He got up from his seat, a smile on his face. He'd been wrong, but he'd made his student feel terribly awkward and that at least had been worth it. He took out his book and began walking home. And now he still had a mystery to solve.

Naruto was still sitting at the ramen stand. He felt like his heart had exploded inside his chest. He looked down at his bowl. For the first time in his life he felt like he couldn't finish a bowl of ramen.

Of course he did though.

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**Hope you liked it. See you next chapter**

**I'm thinking of writing a Supernatural fic. Dean and Castiel...**


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